ARTICLE 3 – Thoughts and Winning

PART I – Reality in Numbers

Every action in football begins with perception.
And every perception is evaluated in the brain before the body reacts.

A look at key figures:

• Decisions in the game: within 200–350 ms
• Share of unconscious decision processes: over 90%
• Energy consumption of the brain: approx. 20%
• Time between perception and muscle activation: milliseconds

These numbers clearly show:
Movement is the end product—not the beginning.

Thoughts as the Control Center of Movement

Thoughts are not abstract ideas.
They are neural activity.

Every thought:

• activates nerve cells,
• distributes energy,
• prepares action.

In football, this means:

• clear thoughts → fast, clean actions
• disordered thoughts → delay, errors, energy loss

PART II – Structure and Context

From Thought to Action

Every football action follows the same internal sequence:

1. Perception
2. Evaluation
3. Decision
4. Movement

Movement is always the final step.
Those who intervene earlier—at the level of thought—gain an advantage.

Thoughts Under Pressure

During the game, multiple factors act simultaneously:

• tempo,
• opponent pressure,
• changes in space,
• expectation.

Under pressure, thoughts become faster—but not automatically clearer.
Disordered thoughts lead to:

• delayed decisions,
• imprecise movements,
• unnecessary energy loss.

Thoughts Direct Energy

Thoughts determine:

• where attention is directed,
• how energy is distributed,
• how stable decisions remain.

An organized mental state:

• saves energy,
• increases reaction speed,
• improves action reliability.

Why Thinking Is Trainable

Thoughts follow patterns.
Patterns arise through repetition.

Through targeted training:

• thought–movement sequences become automated,
• reaction time is shortened,
• stability in the game increases.

Thought training does not replace technical training.
It ensures that technique remains available under pressure.